Table support construction and mounting

ABSTRACT

A table support structure having a hollow center post with a plurality of equally spaced apertures in its lower end. The apertures admit into the hollow interior of the post wedge loops which are formed at the inner ends of legs spaced about the lower end of the post. A reinforcement annular member is located in the post just above the wedge loops. A cap is placed into the lower end of the post below the annular member and wedge lugs project upwardly from the cap through respective eye loops wedging between the eye loops and the interior of the post and drawing the inner ends of the respective legs into tight complementary engagement with the exterior of the post. The lugs are coined to contour their exterior surfaces and to complementably mate with the interior preferably cylindrical surface of the post. The coining provides deformable thin edge portions which deform against the eye loops when the lugs are driven through the eye loops attendant to the cap being forced into the inner end of the post thus securing the parts in tight engagement. The lower end of the post may be peaned about the cap or the cap and annular member may be bolted together.

United States Patent Slowacki MOUNTING Apr. 2, 1974 ABSTRACT A table support structure having a hollow center post with a plurality of equally spaced apertures in its lower end. The apertures admit into the hollow interior of the post wedge loops which are formed at the inner ends of legs spaced about the lower end of the post. A reinforcement annular member is located in the post just above the wedge loops. A cap is placed into the lower end of the post below the annular member and wedge lugs project upwardly from the cap through respective eye loops wedging between the eye loops and the interior of the post and drawing the inner ends of the respective legs into tight complementary engagement with the exterior of the post. The lugs are coined to contour their exterior surfaces and to complementably mate with the interior preferably cylindrical surface of the post. The coining provides deformable thin edge portions which deform against the eye loops when the lugs are driven through the eye loops attendant to the cap being forced into the inner end of the post thus securing the parts in tight engagement. The lower end of the post may be peaned about the cap or the cap and annular member may be bolted together.

20 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures [76] Inventor: Matthew P. Glowacki, 28 W. 251

Timber Ln., Chicago, 111. 60616 [57] [22] Filed: June 12, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 261,702

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Scr. No. 178,197, Sept. 7,

1971, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 248/188.7 [51] Int. Cl F16m 11/20 [58] Field of Search 248/1887 [56] 1 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,709,446 4/1929 Travers 248/1887 3,151,830 10/1964 Giacomini 248/1887 3,207,462 9/1965 Zimmerman.. 248/1887 3,236,485 2/1966 Staples"- 248/188] 3,286,964 11/1966 McMahan. 248/l88.7 3,479,973 11/1969 Bartlett 248/188] FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,163,019 9/1969 Great Britain 248/188] 96,868 5/1898 Germany 248/188.7

46 i l I I TABLE SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION AND MOUNTING This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application having Ser. No. 178,197 and filing date of Sept. 7,1971 and now abandoned.

DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART Various types of connections of legs with a center post ofa table and the'like are known. Many are expensive or they fail to maintain their tightness and they weaken the structure to such an extent that the parts must be made inordinately strong and bulky.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel support structure in which the parts are so constructed that they interlock with each other in mutually strengthening relation.

A further object is to provide a structure in which the interlocking elements not only form a closure for the lower end of the post, but also the closure serves to rigidify the post in the region of localized stress concentrations to prevent the post from collapsing.

A further object of the invention is to devise a novel interlocking arrangement for the legs with the post wherein the legs are sloped downwardly about the post and are anchored to the post adjacent to their lower edges so that when the legs are positioned upon the floor they are loaded in tension at their lower edges and at their upper edges in compression whereby the upper inner ends of the legs are biased against the post in a counterbalancing opposing relation which maximizes the strength of the entire assembly.

A further object of this invention is to'provide a table post and multi-leg interlock arrangement where the bottom part of the hollow post is apertured to receive wedge loops containing wedges or lock elements tying the legs to the post wherein the wedges may be retained by a bottom cover coupled to an upper internal reinforcement annular member by bolt means or the wedges may be part of the bottom cover over which is peened the lower edge of the post.

A further object is to provide a novel structure in which the parts are arranged in a self-sustaining, rigidifying, self-locking relationship.

These and other objects and advantages inherent in and encompassed by the invention will become more apparent from the specification and the drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a broken apart perspective view of a table incorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged axial sectional view taken I through the center post essentially on line 3-3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an exploded sectional view of the structure shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view of one of the legs taken from the outer end thereof;

FIG. 6 is a partial section view illustrating peening of the bottom cover to the post;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a modified form of the invention with parts in section;

' vention shown in FIG. 7 taken along line 88 of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the modified form of in- 7; and

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the modification shown in FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION outer periphery 12 of the post and each leg is of inverted U-shaped section tapering from a deep or wide inner end 13 to a narrow outer end 14. The outer edges 15 and 16 of the side webs l8 and 19 of each leg are formed with inturned opposing legs 20, 21 forholding a plastic end cap (see FIG. 2) on the outer end portion of the leg, the cap having a retaining button 24 snapped behind the legs 20, 21, the attaching umbilicus 23 extending from the cap through the gap 25 (FIG. 5) between the inner ends of the legs 20, 21. The side webs of the leg are interconnected at their upper ends by an arcuate bight portion 27.

The inneredges 28, 20 (see FIG. 2) of the side webs of each leg are provided adjacent to the lower edge 30 (see FIG. 4) thereof with a pair of loop lugs which have side portions 31, 32 dimensioned to fit at their upper and lower edges snugly between the base edges 7 and 8 of the respective aperture or opening 6 in the post. These side portions 31, 32 are angled upwardly toward each other at the same angle as the opposing side edges of the associated opening 6 so that they fit complementally thereagainst. The end portions 32, 33 of these loop lugs are overlapped and spot welded at 34, 35 (see FIG. 3) to form a wedge loop 36providing an upwardly tapering wedge opening 38.

A reinforcing annulus 39 is driven into the lower end portion of the post above the apertures 6 in transverse alignment with the upper inner edge portions 40 of the legs to provide transverse strength to the post.

The eye loops 36 project into the hollow interior bore 42 of the post and each eye loop receives a wedge lug 44 therethrough which has upwardly converging side edges 45, 46 (see FIG. 4) which fit complementally against the interior upw ardly converging side surfaces 47, 48 (see FIG. 3) of the side portions 31, 32 of the respective wedge loops. Each wedge lug is transversely curved and has its outer surface 50 (see FIG. 4) complementally curved to and engaging the interior surface 42 of the post. The edge portions 52, 53 of each lug 44 are thin and upon the lug 44 being driven through the respective loop, these edges defonn and mechanically interlock with the wedge loop 36. The lugs 44 project upwardly above the apertures 6 from the annulus 54 (see FIG. 4) of an end cap 55 which fits tightly into the lower end 5 of the post 4 covering the opening.

It will be observed that when the legs rest upon a support surface, the legs 11 tend to fulcrum upwardly about the anchors or wedge loops 36 and the upper end portions of these legs then are buttressed against the outer periphery 12 (see FIG. 3) of the post 4, the load being transmitted through the annulus to the opposing legs.

With reference to FIG. 6 it is shown that the bottom portion 60 of the lower end S of the center post 4 peened over and around the corner 61 and bottom 62 of the cap 55. Thus the cap 55 cannot fall out. By such an arrangement the wedge lugs 44 could be separate elements from the cap 55. Also, the cap could be welded on or otherwise attached to the bottom of the post.

With reference to FIGS. 7-9 there is shown a modified form of the invention. It is to be noted that when like parts exist on both the showing of FIGS. 15 and the showing of FIGS. 7-9, the same reference characters will be used on both showings or embodiments. The embodiment of FIGS. 7-9 shows a plurality of legs 11 attached to a table post 4 with the wedge loops 36 extending through the post apertures 6 and held to the post by wedge lugs 44a which in all respects are the same as lugs 44 in the first embodiment except that lugs 44a are detached separate elements from the bottom cover or cap 75 and these lugs 44a extend from the inside bottom surface 80 of the cap or bottom reinforcement member 75 to the undershoulder 65 of upper reinforcement member or cup 63.

The cup shaped member or reinforcement annulus 63 has an upper enlarged annular or ring portion 64 which has itsouter peripheral surface 73 close against or engaging the inside or bore 42 of the center post 4. The shoulder or underside 65 has a corner or edge 66 and separates the enlarged upper portion 64 from the lower or bottom reduced bowl portion 67 which has a side 68, a bottom 69 and an outer peripheral surface 74. A threaded opening 70 in the bottom 69 receives therethrough a threaded bolt 71 which has a shank portion 71a extending from the opening 70 down through threaded opening 78 in the bottom 77 of cap 75 to the bolt head 72 on the outside of the bottom 77 of the cover 75 which has side 76 around the bottom of the post. The top edge 81 of the cap 75 supports the lower edges 30 of the legs 11 and the bottom inside surface 80 supports the wedge lugs 44 which have their upper ends sandwiched in between shoulder 65, post inner periphery 42 and outer periphery 74 of the bowl portion 67. By tightening up on the bolt 71, the-bottom cap 75 which overlaps the bottom of the post is pulled up tight against the post and wedge lugs 44a and the top cup 63 is pulled against lugs 44a and entraps them and the top of the wedge loops engage the bottom 66 for tightly-securing the legs to the post. The cover 75 also prevents foreign particles from getting into the interior of the post and forms a base support for the table which will not readily scratch or mar the floor on which the table is supported. The upper and lower reinforcement cups prevent the legs from collapsing the tubular post and yet provide-a novel and effective and economical way for coupling of legs to the center post of a table.

It will now be observed that a novel inexpensive and effective interlocking connection has been disclosed for the legs to the post such'that the loading forces are effectively employed to maintain the parts underload in a tight mutually sustaining relation.

The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art who have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departingfrom the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A pedestal base assembly including:

a vertically extending tubular'support column having a lower leg connecting portion,

said leg connecting portion comprising a hollow annular section having a plurality of leg attachment openings extending therethrough,

leg members communicating with the support column and having loop portions extending through said leg attachment openings,

a locking cap means enclosing the bottom of the lower leg connecting portion and lug finger portions each extending above said cap means in the lower leg connecting portion and extending into an associated attachment loop portion of an associated leg member,

a tubular reinforcing member positioned within said lower leg connecting portion above said lug finger portions, 7

said leg members each having a top end portion abutting the support column,

said reinforcing member being aligned with the top end portion in force receiving relationship, and

said attachment loop portions being spaced from the top portion of the leg member and positioned to direct support column loading into each leg member thereby producing tensile stresses in the lower portion of each leg member and compressive stresses in the top' portion of each leg member.

2. A table support pedestal having hollow support column means and a plurality of support leg members extending therefrom, said pedestal including a plurality of openings in the support column means,

apertured attaching portions forming extensions of the support leg members and extending and positioned-within said openings, lug members being inserted into said apertured attaching portions and engaging the attaching portions and the inside of the hollow column means for fastening and supporting said leg members when positioned in the openings in the support column means, an annular reinforcing member spaced within and 1 against said column means and above said attaching portions and adjacent the leg members in sup- I porting the column means to withstand compressive forces of the leg members against the support column means, I 3. The invention according to claim 2, and each attaching portion defining an end aperture loop extending within the column means and each lug member being a wedge extending through said respective loop within the column means and engaging the interior of the column means above and below the-loop for holding the respective leg member to the column means. 4. The invention according to claim 2, and a locking cap means below the reinforcement member and on the bottom of said column means and covering same and having extending upwardly therefrom said lug members, there being a lug member complementally inserted in each attaching portion and lying against the interior of the column means in fastening each leg member to the column means at the bottom thereof.

5. The invention according to claim 10, and

said leg attachment openings having a wedge shaped periphery,

said leg member attachment loop portions having angled side portions to conform with the wedge shaped periphery of the associated receiving wedge shaped openings whereby said loop portions are wedged in said openings.

6. The invention according to claim 5, and

said locking cap means including a unitary structure having a base portion with said lug finger portions extending therefrom,

said lug finger portions having a transversely curved horizontal cross section and having upwardly converging side surfaces conforming to and mating with the angled side portions of the loop portions.

7. The invention according to claim 6, and

said leg member attachment loop portions having end portions extending laterally from each side portion and arranged in back-to-back reinforcing relationship to form a fastening wall portion of the loop portion,

said lug finger portions having edge portions engageable with the fastening wall portionfor securely retaining the leg members in the support column.

8. The invention according to claim 4, and

each lug member being a wedge portion wedged within its respective attaching portion and each attaching portion being snugly fitted in its respective opening in the column means.

9. The invention according to claim 8, and

said openings being wedge shaped,

said attaching portions having angled side wall portions for fitting within the openings of said support column means.

10. The invention according to claim 4, and

each lug member being integrally connected with and forming part of the locking cap means which project up in finger-like fashion into the respective attaching portion and against the inside of the column means, with locking cap means extending within the bottom portion of the column means.

11. The invention according to claim 10, and

said column means having a bottom skirt portion being bent under and around the lower outer edge portions of the cap means for retaining the latter in the column means.

12. The invention according to claim 4, and

said locking cap means having a cover extending over the bottom of the column means and including an annular portion extending around the outside of the column means and said lug members being separate members on the inside of the column means above the bottom of the cover.

13. The invention according to claim 4, and

each lug member being integrally connected with and forming part of the locking cap means which project up in finger-like fashion into the respective attaching portion and against the inside of the column means, with locking cap means extending within the bottom portion of the column means.

14. The invention according to claim 13, and

said reinforcement member having an annular side and a top wall to form with the annular side a cuplike member on top of said lug members.

15. The invention according to claim 4, and

said locking-cap means having a cover extending over the bottom of the column means and including an annular portion extending around the outside of the column means and said lug members being separate members on the inside of the column means above the bottom of the cover.

16. The invention according to claim 15, and

coupling means being within said column means and connecting with said cap means and said reinforcement member in holding said cap means and reinforcement member fixed to one another and preventing removal of the cap means from the column means.

17. The invention according to claim 4, and

said cap means having an annular side wall and a lower horizontal bottom wall to define a first cup member,

said reinforcement member having an annular side wall and a generally horizontal wall to define a second cup member vertically spaced above the first cup member and fastening means connecting with the horizontal wall of each cup member drawing the cup members toward one another.

18. The invention to claim 17, and

the horizontal wall of the second cup member being on the bottom of said cup member.

19. The invention according to claim 18, and

said annular side wall of the second cup member having an enlarged upper annular side wall portion and a reduced lower annular side wall portion which defines with the enlarged side wall portion a shoulder under surface spaced over the lug members.

20. The invention according to claim 19, and

the side of the lower annular side portion being inattaching portions. 

1. A pedestal base assembly including: a vertically extending tubular support column having a lower leg connecting portion, said leg connecting portion comprising a hollow annular section having a plurality of leg attachment openings extending therethroUgh, leg members communicating with the support column and having loop portions extending through said leg attachment openings, a locking cap means enclosing the bottom of the lower leg connecting portion and lug finger portions each extending above said cap means in the lower leg connecting portion and extending into an associated attachment loop portion of an associated leg member, a tubular reinforcing member positioned within said lower leg connecting portion above said lug finger portions, said leg members each having a top end portion abutting the support column, said reinforcing member being aligned with the top end portion in force receiving relationship, and said attachment loop portions being spaced from the top portion of the leg member and positioned to direct support column loading into each leg member thereby producing tensile stresses in the lower portion of each leg member and compressive stresses in the top portion of each leg member.
 2. A table support pedestal having hollow support column means and a plurality of support leg members extending therefrom, said pedestal including: a plurality of openings in the support column means, apertured attaching portions forming extensions of the support leg members and extending and positioned within said openings, lug members being inserted into said apertured attaching portions and engaging the attaching portions and the inside of the hollow column means for fastening and supporting said leg members when positioned in the openings in the support column means, an annular reinforcing member spaced within and against said column means and above said attaching portions and adjacent the leg members in supporting the column means to withstand compressive forces of the leg members against the support column means.
 3. The invention according to claim 2, and each attaching portion defining an end aperture loop extending within the column means and each lug member being a wedge extending through said respective loop within the column means and engaging the interior of the column means above and below the loop for holding the respective leg member to the column means.
 4. The invention according to claim 2, and a locking cap means below the reinforcement member and on the bottom of said column means and covering same and having extending upwardly therefrom said lug members, there being a lug member complementally inserted in each attaching portion and lying against the interior of the column means in fastening each leg member to the column means at the bottom thereof.
 5. The invention according to claim 4, and said leg attachment openings having a wedge shaped periphery, said leg member attachment loop portions having angled side portions to conform with the wedge shaped periphery of the associated receiving wedge shaped openings whereby said loop portions are wedged in said openings.
 6. The invention according to claim 5, and said locking cap means including a unitary structure having a base portion with said lug finger portions extending therefrom, said lug finger portions having a transversely curved horizontal cross section and having upwardly converging side surfaces conforming to and mating with the angled side portions of the loop portions.
 7. The invention according to claim 6, and said leg member attachment loop portions having end portions extending laterally from each side portion and arranged in back-to-back reinforcing relationship to form a fastening wall portion of the loop portion, said lug finger portions having edge portions engageable with the fastening wall portion for securely retaining the leg members in the support column.
 8. The invention according to claim 4, and each lug member being a wedge portion wedged within its respective attaching portion and each attaching portion being snugly fitted in its respective opening in the column means.
 9. The invention according to claim 8, anD said openings being wedge shaped, said attaching portions having angled side wall portions for fitting within the openings of said support column means.
 10. The invention according to claim 4, and each lug member being integrally connected with and forming part of the locking cap means which project up in finger-like fashion into the respective attaching portion and against the inside of the column means, with locking cap means extending within the bottom portion of the column means.
 11. The invention according to claim 10, and said column means having a bottom skirt portion being bent under and around the lower outer edge portions of the cap means for retaining the latter in the column means.
 12. The invention according to claim 4, and said locking cap means having a cover extending over the bottom of the column means and including an annular portion extending around the outside of the column means and said lug members being separate members on the inside of the column means above the bottom of the cover.
 13. The invention according to claim 4, and each lug member being integrally connected with and forming part of the locking cap means which project up in finger-like fashion into the respective attaching portion and against the inside of the column means, with locking cap means extending within the bottom portion of the column means.
 14. The invention according to claim 13, and said reinforcement member having an annular side and a top wall to form with the annular side a cup-like member on top of said lug members.
 15. The invention according to claim 4, and said locking cap means having a cover extending over the bottom of the column means and including an annular portion extending around the outside of the column means and said lug members being separate members on the inside of the column means above the bottom of the cover.
 16. The invention according to claim 15, and coupling means being within said column means and connecting with said cap means and said reinforcement member in holding said cap means and reinforcement member fixed to one another and preventing removal of the cap means from the column means.
 17. The invention according to claim 4, and said cap means having an annular side wall and a lower horizontal bottom wall to define a first cup member, said reinforcement member having an annular side wall and a generally horizontal wall to define a second cup member vertically spaced above the first cup member and fastening means connecting with the horizontal wall of each cup member drawing the cup members toward one another.
 18. The invention to claim 17, and the horizontal wall of the second cup member being on the bottom of said cup member.
 19. The invention according to claim 18, and said annular side wall of the second cup member having an enlarged upper annular side wall portion and a reduced lower annular side wall portion which defines with the enlarged side wall portion a shoulder under surface spaced over the lug members.
 20. The invention according to claim 19, and the side of the lower annular side portion being inwardly adjacent the lug members and the second cup member bottom wall being spaced above said attaching portions. 